Man under the influence of ice during drive-by shootings

Ross Irby
Reporter
Reporter Ross Irby has wander-lust mixed with a sense of adventure, spending way too many years roaming about Australia, its back roads and off-shore foreign lands.
Enjoys a yarn, story telling and tales, along with curiosity to find out about the lives and (mis)adventures of others.
An off-beat sense of humour, not taking it all too seriously, along with big doses of flexibility/adaptability whatever the situation is the best way to go.
You have to have the life experiences to have empathy...

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CONFESSED ice and methylamphetamine drug user Brandon Hassan has pleaded guilty to charges arising from his role in the drive-by shootings of targeted homes across Mackay in January.

Fluffy, a Beaconsfield family pet cat, was slain during the shootings.

Hassan (below), 20, appeared via video-link before Magistrate Damien Dwyer and pleaded guilty to a series of charges of wilful damage on January 8, and of animal cruelty and unlawful possession of weapons.

Defence barrister Bronwyn Hartigan made a plea for Hassan to be sentenced to two-and-a-half years jail on the wilful damage offences, 18 months on weapons possession and one month for animal cruelty; and then to be released on supervised parole after serving nine months to allow for his rehabilitation.

This would take into account a depressive illness the offender suffers after his nephew drowned.

A medical report found that the death may have been a catalyst for his methylamphetamine abuse although it was revealed he had been a drug user from the age of 14.

Ms Hartigan said he had a $1100 drug debt owed to a co-accused after using ice and methylamphetamine daily.

"He was told he would be cleared of debt if he would go and debt-collect from others who owed him money.

"At the time of the offence he was under the influence of ice," she said.

Mr Dwyer noted that the offenders had made a plan then put it into action a week later.

The magistrate questioned whether the case should not go before the District Court where tougher penalties would apply.

"It doesn't get much more serious than this," Mr Dwyer said.

"You go around with guns shooting at houses to get rid of drug debts."

Prosecutor Sgt Mark Campbell said a 0.33 shotgun was involved and a cat was shot.

Two homes at Blacks Beach, one in Rural View and North Mackay, and another at Beaconsfield were targeted.